News
Military test to shoot down dummy missile fails again –
The U.S. military carried out an unsuccessful test to shoot down an incoming dummy missile from Hawaii Jan. 31, a U.S. official said, amid heightened concerns about North Korea’s developing missile and nuclear program.
Another U.S. Navy ballistic missile intercept reportedly fails in Hawaii –
A test shoot of the SM-3 Block IIA fired from an Aegis Ashore test site in Hawaii failed Jan. 31, CNN has reported. The missile is designed to intercept ballistic missiles.
Mattis considers cellphone ban at Pentagon –
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is considering banning all cell phones and personal electronic devices such as FitBits from the Pentagon, defense officials confirmed Jan. 31.
Business
Boeing gets $6.6 billion from Pentagon to expand missile defense –
Boeing has received a $6.56 billion contract to continue managing the U.S. missile defense system intended to stop North Korean or Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Defense Department said.
Companies line up to vie for new Marine Corps infantry optic –
The Marine Corps wants to turn every grunt in the squad into a de facto designated marksman, and the service is getting ready to give them new gear to make that happen. Among the items sought: a new infantry rifle optic with variable power settings, allowing grunts to engage targets at close range and at distances of up to 600 meters.
Boeing still hammering out a deal with Embraer on potential tie-up –
Boeing is still in talks with Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer about a possible acquisition, but the Boeing’s chief executive said Jan. 31 that the company’s success won’t be be dependent on the tie up.
Airbus fires laser-guided rockets from H145M helicopter –
Airbus Helicopters has announced a successful test-firing campaign of 70mm laser-guided rockets from its H145M helicopter.
Patriot price tag reduced, new Polish defense minister tweets –
Poland’s new defense minister took to Twitter to announce the government was able to negotiate a reduced price to procure Patriot air-and-missile defense systems under what it calls the Wisla program.
Morocco reportedly acquires Sky Dragon 50 SAM –
Morocco took delivery of an unspecified number of Norinco Sky Dragon 50 medium-range surface-to-air missile systems in December 2017, the Hespress.com website reported Jan. 28 without citing any sources.
Pakistan evaluating new attack helicopter options –
The Pakistan Army is looking at procuring a new attack helicopter type to enhance its current capabilities as part of a wider modernization of its rotary-winged assault capabilities.
Belgium eyes Predator B derivative for MALE UAS requirement –
The Belgian Ministry of Defence has decided upon which aircraft it would like to fill the Air Component’s medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraft system requirement, Jane’s has learned, and according to sources this will be a derivative of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.’s Predator B.
Rolls-Royce announces management changes –
British defense aerospace propulsion manufacturer Rolls-Royce has announced new management appointments, with new presidents of both its Civil Aerospace and Defence divisions revealed.
Air Force awards $400 million contract to support Iraqi F-16s –
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Sallyport Global Holdings a contract for base operations and security for Iraq’s F-16 program. The deal, announced Jan. 30 by the Department of Defense, is valued at $400 million under the terms of a cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract.
Lockheed Martin flight tests new short-range missile –
Lockheed Martin successfully conducted a controlled test flight of its short-range Miniature Hit-to-Kill, or MHTK, missile. The test flight, conducted at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, demonstrated the reliability of the MHTK missile, which has received upgraded electronics and a next-generation airframe upgraded from the original design.
Berlin weighs tank deal with Turkey to free journalist –
Officially, Germany insists it wants no part of any kind of trade-off with Turkey in its effort to free imprisoned journalist Deniz Yücel. Behind the scenes, though, a tank deal could be taking shape.
Defense
U.S. Army is working to fix problems with its new handgun –
The Army’s new handgun meets “all safety and operational requirements,” officials said Jan. 31, after a recently published report revealed several issues with the Sig Sauer-made weapon.
Climate change threatens half of U.S. military sites: Pentagon –
Nearly half of U.S. military sites are threatened by wild weather linked to climate change, according to a Pentagon study whose findings run contrary to White House views on global warming.
Trump, Pentagon hope 2018 sees more foreign militaries buying American –
The Defense Department has a new target — making 2018 a record year for selling U.S. arms to foreign militaries.
U.S. Army’s Paladin howitzers could get their first major upgrade in years –
Artillery soldiers could soon see the first major upgrades to the Paladin howitzer since its fielding nearly a quarter century ago.
Iran’s fast boats stop harassing U.S. Navy, baffling military –
The Iranian military has halted the routine harassment by its armed “fast boats” of U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. military said, a turnabout that officials welcomed but were at a loss to explain.
Air Force grounds all T-6 flights after multiple hypoxia-like problems –
The 19th Air Force has halted all T-6 Texan II operations after a “cluster” of unexplained physiological events — a term used to describe conditions such as hypoxia — at three bases over the last week.
Veterans
VA reveals hundreds of additional firings following Trump’s State of the Union –
Veterans Affairs revealed on Jan. 31 several hundred employee firings that had not been publicly reported.
Veterans group creates PSA to follow rejected Super Bowl ad –
AMVETS has created a 30-second public service announcement to elaborate on their print ad that was rejected by the NFL for including the message “#PleaseStand.”
Veterans Affairs wasted closer to $2 Billion on failed IT projects –
A recent audit by the Government Accountability Office identified $1.1 billion in wasted spending on two VA projects from 2011 to 2016, the Integrated Electronic Health Record and Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture.